Letters: Control gunslike you control drunken driving

The Senate unanimously approved a bill that retains the 0.08 blood-alcohol limit used to determine whether a driver is drunk rather than let it revert back to 0.10 on Oct. 1. "When the state lowered the level to 0.08 in 2003, the number of alcohol-related deaths was 340. By 2011, that number had dropped to 253, according to State Police," the Free Press wrote.

That is a decrease of less than 100 deaths in eight years, yet the Senate was able to act unanimously and vote to do something to prevent those deaths. With all the gun violence deaths in Michigan, why can't the Senate come up with something that will prevent more deaths? Instead we hear that nothing can be done because it's such a huge issue.

Well, I say something can be done, and even if it's a small dent in the number of deaths, at least it's a dent! Come on, senators, show us some leadership and help reduce gun deaths in this state.

Kathryn Ross

Bloomfield Hills

Root of Paula Deen's diabetes is no mystery

It is sad to hear Paula Deen say in reference to her Type 2 diabetes, "It is not something I did to myself." I would argue with that statement. Her recipes lead to obesity that directly lead to Type 2 diabetes. When diagnosed, she had a choice to learn how diet affects the disease. Her promotion of drugs and her recipe for "Beer in the Rear" will not help sufferers of Type 2 diabetes. A healthy plant-based diet will.

Donna Schmidt

South Lyon

DTE should meet in Michigan, not New York

I am DTE rate payer and shareholder. DTE's annual shareholders' meeting will not be held in Michigan but rather in New York. DTE provides services in Michigan, not New York. So one must ask why would DTE hold its annual shareholders meeting in a different state? To hold their annual shareholders meeting in a state in which it is almost impossible for shareholders to be present to express their opinion and thoughts is insulting. It is essentially saying that we do not have a voice in how our utility companies service us.

I support the proposed resolution that would force DTE to keep shareholders informed on exactly who DTE is giving political contributions to. This will help keep DTE accountable.

Erin Halliwill

Wayne

Enforce our present immigration laws first

The government is not enforcing existing immigration laws and is not keeping our borders secure. Any new immigration laws are just going to give government handouts to another 11 million people. There will not be any more enforcement to any new laws than there is to our current laws, so why pass more laws? Close and secure the borders first, then work on how to deal with the illegal immigrants already here.

Tom Tallon

Wyandotte

Run for benefit of Detroit, not your wallet

Now that Detroit has an emergency manager in place to try and clean up the city's financial mess, everybody and anybody is lining up to run for office. If Kevyn Orr were to cut elected officials' pay until the city is on sound financial footing, you would get rid of all the phonies and freeloaders vying for a free ride on the taxpayers' dime. If you are serious about running for elected office and turning the city around, then you should be satisfied to work at a reduced salary until the city is financially sound.

George Kaleniecki

Detroit

Keep Social Security
a stable safety net

A majority of the American people are against changes in Social Security including changing the CPI formula. Social Security is not an entitlement - it's a popular social insurance program paid for by its member's contributions. It protects all of us against unforeseen catastrophic economic events that can wipe out any one of us; a safety net from absolute poverty in our old age.

Capitulation by our well fed politicians on this program is a non-starter. We need an unbending Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. for president, not another shill for Wall Street.

Paul Wohlfarth

Ottawa Lake

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

Email this article

Letters: Control gunslike you control drunken driving

With all the gun violence deaths in Michigan, why can't the Senate come up with something that will prevent more deaths? Instead we hear that nothing can be done because it's such a huge issue.